TABLE 12A: LIFE EXPECTANCY BY AGE GROUP AND SEX,
IN YEARS, 1900 TO 1997

1900

1910

1920

1930

1940

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

1997

LIFE EXPECTANCY AT BIRTH

TOTAL

49.2

51.5

56.4

59.2

63.6

68.1

69.9

70.8

73.9

75.4

76.5

MEN

47.9

49.9

55.5

57.7

61.6

65.5

66.8

67.0

70.1

71.8

73.6

WOMEN

50.7

53.2

57.4

60.9

65.9

71.0

73.2

74.6

77.6

78.8

79.4

LIFE EXPECTANCY AT AGE 65

TOTAL

11.9

11.6

12.5

12.2

12.8

13.8

14.4

15.0

16.5

17.3

17.7

MEN

11.5

11.2

12.2

11.7

12.1

12.7

13.0

13.0

14.2

15.1

15.9

WOMEN

12.2

12.0

12.7

12.8

13.6

15.0

15.8

16.8

18.4

19.0

19.2

LIFE EXPECTANCY AT AGE 85

TOTAL

4.0

4.0

4.2

4.2

4.3

4.7

4.6

5.3

6.0

6.2

6.3

MEN

3.8

3.9

4.1

4.0

4.1

4.4

4.4

4.7

5.1

5.3

5.5

WOMEN

4.1

4.1

4.3

4.3

4.5

4.9

4.7

5.6

6.4

6.7

6.6

Note: The estimates for
decennial years are based on decennial census data and deaths for a
three-year period around the census year. Life expectancy estimates for
years prior to 1930 are based on the death registration area only. The
death registration area increased from 10 states and the District of
Columbia in 1900 to the coterminous United States in 1933.

TABLE 13A: DEATH RATES FOR
SELECTED LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH AMONG PERSONS AGE 65 OR OLDER, 1980 TO
1997 (PER 100,000)

HEART DISEASE

CANCER

STROKE

CRONIC
OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASES

PNEUMONIA &
INFLUENZA

DIABETES

1980

2,629

1,052

669

179

214

107

1981

2,547

1,056

625

186

207

106

1982

2,503

1,069

587

186

181

102

1983

2,512

1,078

566

204

207

104

1984

2,450

1,087

548

211

214

103

1985

2,431

1,091

533

226

243

103

1986

2,372

1,101

508

228

245

101

1987

2,316

1,106

497

230

237

102

1988

2,306

1,114

491

240

263

105

1989

2,172

1,133

465

240

253

120

1990

2,092

1,142

449

245

258

120

1991

2,049

1,151

436

252

245

121

1992

1,995

1,154

427

253

233

121

1993

2,032

1,164

437

275

249

129

1994

1,963

1,161

437

273

239

133

1995

1,941

1,160

442

273

239

137

1996

1,894

1,150

438

278

236

141

1997

1,832

1,133

426

281

237

141

PERCENT
CHANGE
1980-97

-30.3

7.7

-36.3

57.0

10.7

31.8

Note: Rates
are age-adjusted using the 2000 standard population.
Reference population: These data refer to the resident population.
Source: National Vital Statistics System.

OLDER: (1999) ( U.S. Bureau of the Census, Americans)
The
50-59 age bracket will increase by 50% by the year 2006, and the
country's
fifty something population will expand to about 38 million by that
year.
The bureau further projected that by the year 2020, eight states,
including:
Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Washington, Georgia, Alaska and
California,
will double their older populations. And in the next 20 years, the
bureau
reported, America will see a 76% increase in its 65 and older
population
as baby boomers reach their retirement years.

LIFE EXPECTANCY: (1999)
In
1900, the life expectancy was 47 years of age. Only one person in 25
had
then survived to age 60. Women lived shorter lives due to childbirth.

In the 1990s, the population growth rate
for
senior males is outstripping that of senior females, according to
Census
Bureau data. The male population over the age of 65 increased 11%
between
1990 and 1996, while the female population increased 7.5%. During the
same
time period, the number of men in the age group over 85 rose 27 %,
compared
with 24 % for women. The ratio of women to men in the age group over 85
narrowed
from 3.1:1.9 to 3.1:1.95. Women still dominate the population over 65,
but
the gap is beginning to narrow. In 1990, women accounted for 60 % of
the
population over 65; by 1996 that share had declined to 59 %, a notable
change
in a population of this size over this short period. The increasing
number
of men in the seniors' housing market could affect developers
significantly,
particularly in the amenities sought. An increased availability of
health
care for older Americans through the emergence of Medicare is cited as
one
factor in the increasing longevity of men, as is a decline in cigarette
smoking
among older males. (Housing the Elderly Report, April 1998)

OLD- AND GETTING OLDER:
(1999)
World Population: The global average for life expectancy had increased
from
45 to 63 years from the1950's. However, 10% of the population is
elderly-
over 60 years of age. By 2050, it will increase to 20%.

The majority of people 60 and older, 55%,
are
women.

Among those 80 or older, 65 percent are
women.
Japanese women now have a life expectancy of 83, highest in the world.
Nine
million of the 43 million Americans 60 and older live alone and 80% are
women.

Striking differences exist between regions
with
the elderly: one of five Europeans, for example, is 60 or older,
compared
to one of 20 Africans. By 2020, 46 percent of women 80 and older will
live
in Asia.

The American Association for Retired
Persons
said the Internet has been a boon to the elderly, with 47 percent of
all
online consumers over 50 and seniors more likely to contact family and
others
in the cyberspace community, thus reducing any feelings of isolation.

WOMEN AND LIFETIME: (1999) Why women live longer: a
doctor
at Ball State University indicated that "flexibility, resiliency and
connections
protect women against early death while men are more often wiped out by
their
own rigidity, aggression and denial of feelings." The life expectancy
for
men is now 72 years of age while women live in average of 78.8 years.
Men
smoke more cigarettes and consume more alcohol. They are three times is
likely
as women to die from accidents and four times more likely to be
homicide
victims. And as I a stated previously, white men have the higher
suicide
rates in the country once they get older than age 65. Many of these men
have
been insulated from the real world due to their positions of power in a
corporation. However, once they retire, there entire powerbase may be
gone
(if there really ever was one). And they cannot boss their wives around
since
they have tended to develop more independency as they have gotten
older.

In 1900, life expectancy for men was 49.7 years and for women 50.9
years.
But by the middle of the century, men could now be expected to live to
65.6
years of age and 71.7 years for women. The increase for women,
according
to Dr. Crose, was due to women getting into holistic health and
balancing
their lives while men stayed in the "same old macho" roles. She also
noted
that while women do suffer more ailments and depression earlier in
life,
they use such adversity's to build into strength that they use later in
life.
A most interesting comment was the fact that women tend to be
interested
in more things and have a variety of emotions where men tend to express
only
two emotions: they are either fine or mad.

Gail Sheehy also commented about the difficulties of men as they get
older.
While men chuckle about menopause for women, it appears that men are
"much
more uncertain about the threat of aging than women. And the basis
seems
to be the threat of losing their potency in all the areas of their
lives."

She noted that men should take a long vacation to review their lives
and
what they would like to change in the second half of life.

LONGEVITY: (Met Life
1999)
"In 1997 life expectancy for all persons combined rose to a new record
high
of 76.4 years. Additionally, average future lifetime for newborn girls
and
boys also established new peaks-79.3 years and 73.4 years,
respectively.
For girls the 1997 value surpassed the previous high of 79.1 years
recorded
in 1992 and 1996 while for boys new peaks have been consecutively
recorded
since 1994. Last year's longevity enhancements among men were larger
than
those for women-continuing the trend of the past few years.

Newborn girls could still anticipate
living
5.9 years longer than boys-the gap was 6.0 years in 1996 and 7.0 years
in
1989-91. Current projections indicate that the disparity between the
genders
in average future lifetime may decline to 4.6 years by the year 2050.
Also
worthy of note is the apparent narrowing of the gap in longevity by
race.
In 1996 newborn white boys could expect to outlive nonwhite newborn
boys
by 5.0 years compared with 5.7 years in 1989-91; among girls the
disparity
diminished from 4.1 years in 1989-91 to 3.6 years in 1996."

LIVING LONGER- (1999) In
ancient
Greece, for example, life expectancy at birth was 20. When the
Declaration
of Independence was signed, life expectancy was still just 23; the
median
age was 16. Even as recently as 1900, most Americans died by age 47. In
1870,
only 2.5% of all Americans made it to age 65. By 1990, that percentage
had
increased five-fold to 12.7%. Today, 31 million people are over 65 --
and
the figures continue to grow, bolstered by advances in medicine and
public
health.

What are the odds of surviving?

U.S. Census Bureau, April 1996

Five-Year Survival Rates by Age and Sex, for the Resident Population,

1995 to 2015: Middle Mortality Assumption

(Cohort survival rates are based on projections of population in 5 year

age groups, based on the Method of Demographic Analysis, and assume no

net migration. These rates reflect survival rates by single year of

age and the age distribution within each age group.)

Cohort survival rates

BOTH SEXES

1995 to 2000 to 2005 to 2010 to

Initial age Terminal age 2000 2005 2010 2015

Births........Under 5........ 0.992072 0.992719 0.993336 0.993908

Under 5.......5 to 9......... 0.998449 0.998561 0.998667 0.998772

5 to 9........10 to 14....... 0.999142 0.999207 0.999274 0.999341

10 to 14......15 to 19....... 0.996582 0.996752 0.996852 0.996923

15 to 19......20 to 24....... 0.990289 0.990876 0.991276 0.991569

20 to 24......25 to 29....... 0.995960 0.995982 0.996122 0.996342

25 to 29......30 to 34....... 0.993273 0.992581 0.992610 0.992890

30 to 34......35 to 39....... 0.991106 0.990030 0.989750 0.990161

35 to 39......40 to 44....... 0.988599 0.987458 0.987378 0.987902

40 to 44......45 to 49....... 0.984935 0.984400 0.984651 0.985539

45 to 49......50 to 54....... 0.978987 0.979541 0.980583 0.981945

50 to 54......55 to 59....... 0.968263 0.970129 0.971795 0.973655

55 to 59......60 to 64....... 0.948702 0.951838 0.954769 0.957208

60 to 64......65 to 69....... 0.918789 0.923377 0.927748 0.931705

65 to 69......70 to 74....... 0.881763 0.887422 0.893418 0.899095

70 to 74......75 to 79....... 0.827120 0.834602 0.841668 0.849306

75 to 79......80 to 84....... 0.746711 0.755876 0.765260 0.774255

80 to 84......85 to 89....... 0.638373 0.649110 0.660566 0.672561

85 to 89......90 to 94....... 0.504450 0.520153 0.534485 0.549834

90 to 94......95 to 99....... 0.434950 0.466784 0.491389 0.519664

95 and over...100 and over... 0.226695 0.239185 0.249664 0.260761

80 and over...85 and over.... 0.547183 0.555002 0.564485 0.569495

Cohort survival rates

MALES

1995 to 2000 to 2005 to 2010 to

Initial age Terminal age 2000 2005 2010 2015

Births........Under 5........ 0.991029 0.991799 0.992528 0.993204

Under 5.......5 to 9......... 0.998284 0.998421 0.998548 0.998673

5 to 9........10 to 14....... 0.999020 0.999097 0.999176 0.999253

10 to 14......15 to 19....... 0.994939 0.995153 0.995255 0.995311

15 to 19......20 to 24....... 0.984349 0.985290 0.985893 0.986304

20 to 24......25 to 29....... 0.994509 0.994529 0.994713 0.995021

25 to 29......30 to 34....... 0.990283 0.989111 0.989107 0.989514

30 to 34......35 to 39....... 0.987322 0.985411 0.984868 0.985439

35 to 39......40 to 44....... 0.984127 0.981902 0.981475 0.982156

40 to 44......45 to 49....... 0.979805 0.978432 0.978454 0.979556

45 to 49......50 to 54....... 0.973313 0.973698 0.974957 0.976805

50 to 54......55 to 59....... 0.960641 0.963184 0.965622 0.968388

55 to 59......60 to 64....... 0.936597 0.941406 0.945943 0.949888

60 to 64......65 to 69....... 0.899867 0.907817 0.915144 0.921780

65 to 69......70 to 74....... 0.854231 0.865135 0.875965 0.885895

70 to 74......75 to 79....... 0.785012 0.798333 0.810630 0.823259

75 to 79......80 to 84....... 0.684922 0.698163 0.711786 0.724741

80 to 84......85 to 89....... 0.560197 0.572500 0.585381 0.599385

85 to 89......90 to 94....... 0.426313 0.440636 0.454257 0.469634

90 to 94......95 to 99....... 0.349801 0.369966 0.384045 0.400173

95 and over...100 and over... 0.185287 0.190554 0.193462 0.196053

80 and over...85 and over.... 0.488976 0.498312 0.508221 0.514424

Cohort survival rates

FEMALES

1995 to 2000 to 2005 to 2010 to

Initial age Terminal age 2000 2005 2010 2015

Births........Under 5........ 0.993164 0.993682 0.994182 0.994645

Under 5.......5 to 9......... 0.998622 0.998708 0.998791 0.998875

5 to 9........10 to 14....... 0.999270 0.999321 0.999377 0.999432

10 to 14......15 to 19....... 0.998303 0.998426 0.998521 0.998607

15 to 19......20 to 24....... 0.996493 0.996704 0.996893 0.997056

20 to 24......25 to 29....... 0.997464 0.997481 0.997575 0.997705

25 to 29......30 to 34....... 0.996375 0.996165 0.996213 0.996361

30 to 34......35 to 39....... 0.995024 0.994795 0.994755 0.994983

35 to 39......40 to 44....... 0.993177 0.993168 0.993410 0.993735

40 to 44......45 to 49....... 0.990092 0.990455 0.990947 0.991579

45 to 49......50 to 54....... 0.984612 0.985353 0.986221 0.987102

50 to 54......55 to 59....... 0.975703 0.976936 0.977863 0.978874

55 to 59......60 to 64....... 0.960272 0.961862 0.963298 0.964314

60 to 64......65 to 69....... 0.936197 0.937883 0.939603 0.941123

65 to 69......70 to 74....... 0.905493 0.907130 0.909168 0.911186

70 to 74......75 to 79....... 0.860207 0.864093 0.867843 0.871952

75 to 79......80 to 84....... 0.789186 0.797261 0.805430 0.813260

80 to 84......85 to 89....... 0.681708 0.694815 0.707777 0.721140

85 to 89......90 to 94....... 0.537671 0.556376 0.573923 0.591486

90 to 94......95 to 99....... 0.462403 0.499421 0.530117 0.566154

95 and over...100 and over... 0.236645 0.251044 0.263701 0.277672

80 and over...85 and over.... 0.574389 0.583036 0.593794 0.599359

Life
Expectancy on the rise: (2000)"Human lifespan increased enormously
in
the 20th century. Researchers examined mortality over five decades in
the
G7 countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK, US). In every
country
over this period, mortality at each age has declined exponentially at a
roughly
constant rate. Forecasts of life expectancy are substantially larger
than
in existing official forecasts. In terms of the costs of aging,
researchers
forecast values of the dependency ratio (that is, the ratio of people
over
65 to working people) in 2050 that are between 6% (UK) and 40% (Japan)
higher
than official forecasts."

This could make a real mess of annuities if it is shown that the
purchasers
are living much longer (annuity purchasers tend to) and thereby reduce
insurance
company profits. Also it can mess up long term care policies. You may
not
need the care as soon, but you may need MORE of it in the later stages
of
life. Are there sufficient premiums to pay for the higher level of
care???

And I am also wondering what the much higher levels of obesity will do
to
both mortality and morbidity. Since it is a more likely occurrence for
the
poor who don't buy life or long term care insurance anyway, maybe the
issue-
at that level- is moot. But both issues have a severe impact on health
insurance
along with Medicare and Medicaid.

TABLE 1D: PERCENTAGE OF
THE POPULATION AGE 65 AND OLDER, BY STATE, 2000

ALPHABETICALLY

PERCENT

RANKED BY PERCENTAGE

UNITED STATES

12.7

ALABAMA

13.1

FLORIDA

18.1

ALASKA

5.8

WEST VIRGINIA

15.6

ARIZONA

13.2

PENNSYLVANIA

15.6

ARKANSAS

14.3

IOWA

15.2

CALIFORNIA

10.4

NORTH DAKOTA

15.0

COLORADO

10.8

RHODE ISLAND

14.8

CONNECTICUT

14.0

ARKANSAS

14.3

DELAWARE

12.6

SOUTH DAKOTA

14.2

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

13.2

CONNECTICUT

14.0

FLORIDA

18.1

NEBRASKA

14.0

GEORGIA

9.9

OKLAHOMA

14.0

HAWAII

12.5

OREGON

13.9

IDAHO

11.7

MAINE

13.7

ILLINOIS

12.3

MISSOURI

13.6

INDIANA

12.6

MASSACHUSETTS

13.6

IOWA

15.2

MONTANA

13.5

KANSAS

13.5

OHIO

13.5

KENTUCKY

12.7

KANSAS

13.5

LOUISIANA

11.8

NEW JERSEY

13.3

MAINE

13.7

WISCONSIN

13.2

MARYLAND

11.2

ARIZONA

13.2

MASSACHUSETTS

13.6

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

13.2

MICHIGAN

12.4

ALABAMA

13.1

MINNESOTA

12.3

NEW YORK

13.0

MISSISSIPPI

12.2

NORTH CAROLINA

12.7

MISSOURI

13.6

KENTUCKY

12.7

MONTANA

13.5

DELAWARE

12.6

NEBRASKA

14.0

INDIANA

12.6

NEVADA

11.7

TENNESSEE

12.5

NEW HAMPSHIRE

11.6

HAWAII

12.5

NEW JERSEY

13.3

SOUTH CAROLINA

12.4

NEW MEXICO

11.1

MICHIGAN

12.4

NEW YORK

13.0

MINNESOTA

12.3

NORTH CAROLINA

12.7

ILLINOIS

12.3

NORTH DAKOTA

15.0

MISSISSIPPI

12.2

OHIO

13.5

VERMONT

11.8

OKLAHOMA

14.0

LOUISIANA

11.8

OREGON

13.9

WYOMING

11.8

PENNSYLVANIA

15.6

NEVADA

11.7

RHODE ISLAND

14.8

WASHINGTON

11.7

SOUTH CAROLINA

12.4

IDAHO

11.7

SOUTH DAKOTA

14.2

NEW HAMPSHIRE

11.6

TENNESSEE

12.5

VIRGINIA

11.3

TEXAS

10.4

MARYLAND

11.2

UTAH

9.2

NEW MEXICO

11.1

VERMONT

11.8

COLORADO

10.8

VIRGINIA

11.3

TEXAS

10.4

WASHINGTON

11.7

CALIFORNIA

10.4

WEST VIRGINA

15.6

GEORGIA

9.9

WISCONSIN

13.2

UTAH

9.2

WYOMING

11.8

ALASKA

5.8

Note: Data are middle–series
projections of the population.
Reference population: These data refer to the resident population.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Projections for States by
Selected Age Groups and Sex: 1995 to 2025, available online at: http://www.census.gov/population/www/projections/stproj.html
(accessed April 7, 2000).

LIVING: (2000)
During the
twentieth century the 17 year survival rate of 50-64 year old men rose
by
24 percentage points. The author examines waiting time until death from
all
natural causes and from all chronic, all acute, respiratory, stomach,
infectious,
all heart, ischemic, and myocarditis disease among Union Army veterans
first
observed in 1900. The effect of such specific early life infections as
stomach
ailments, rheumatic fever, syphilis, measles, respiratory infections,
malaria,
diarrhea, and tuberculosis on older age mortality depended upon the
cause
of death that was being investigated but all of these infections
reduced
cause-specific longevity. Men who grew up in a large city faced an
elevated
mortality risk from all causes of death controlling for later
residence.
The immediate effect of reduced infectious disease rates and reduced
mortality
from acute disease accounts for 62 percent of the twentieth century
increase
in survival rates and the long-run effect of reduced early life
infectious
disease rates accounts for 12 percent of the increase. The findings
imply
that although the current effects of improved public health and medical
care
are larger than the cohort effects, cost-benefit analyses and forecasts
of
future mortality still need to account for long-run effects; that
mortality
in populations in which infectious, respiratory, and parasitic deaths
are
common is best described by a competing risks model; and, that the
urbanization
that accompanied early industrialization was extremely costly.

Worldwide Life Expectancy (http://www.geography.about.com)

Lifetime: (2001)Blacks have a lifetime of 69 years while whites
have
75 years. Heart disease and cancer are the major differences. Homicide
is
the next major cause.

Probability of Living to a Certain Age (2001)

Male, Nonsmoker probability

Current Age

60

70

80

50

93%

75%

41%

60

N/A

81%

45%

70

N/A

N/A

55%

Male Smoker Probability

Current Age

60

70

80

40

81%

56%

24%

50

86%

60%

25%

60

N/A

70%

30%

70

N/A

N/A

43%

Living: (2001) Life expectancy
climbed
to a record high of 76.9 years in 2000, an increase of a few months
from
1999’s 76.7 years. The infant mortality rate also declined to the
lowest
levels ever, to 6.9 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2000, down by 0.2
deaths
from 1999. American males born in 2000 now enjoy an average life
expectancy
of 74.1 years, up 0.2 years from 1999. Females have an average life
expectancy
of 79.5 years, up 0.1 years. Women can still expect to live longer than
men
on average, though the gap in life expectancy continued a years-long
narrowing
trend last year. A 7-year difference between the sexes recorded in 1990
was
down to 5.5 years last year. Significant racial differences remain,
however.
Age-adjusted mortality continued to fall for heart disease and
cancer--the
top two causes of death--as well as several other leading causes,
including
suicide, homicide, accidents, stroke, diabetes, chronic lower
respiratory
disease, chronic liver disease and cirrhosis. However, mortality for
diseases
that disproportionately strike the elderly, such as Alzheimer’s
and
pneumonitis, increased.

The world's population age 65 and older is growing by an unprecedented
800,000
people a month, according to a report issued December 13 by the U.S.
Census
Bureau and the National Institute on Aging. The report, "An Aging
World:
2001," predicts that this phenomenon of global aging will continue well
into
the 21st century, with the numbers and proportions of older people
continuing
to rise in both developed and developing worlds. The pace of population
aging,
the report found, varies widely among countries. Generally, developing
countries
are aging faster than more developed ones. Demographers estimated that
more
than three-quarters of the world's net gain of older people from 1999
to
2000 occurred in still-developing countries. The ratio of older people
to
total population differs widely among countries, too. The United States
was
32nd on a list ranking countries with high proportions of people age 65
and
older. Italy replaced Sweden as the world's oldest country in 2000,
with
18 percent of Italians having attained age 65.

OLD: (United Nations Population Division 2002) The number of
people
60 or older will grow to nearly 2 billion in 2050, for the first time
in
recorded history outnumbering those who are younger than 15, a trend
that
will have an impact on economic growth, investment strategies, tax
policy
and elections around the world. The report said the elderly are the
world's
fastest growing population segment. They now number 629 million, or
about
one out of every 10 people. While those 80 and older make up 12% of
people
over 60, they will comprise 19% in 2050, it estimated. The number of
centenarians
is projected to increase 15-fold over the same period, to 3.2 million
in
48 years from about 210,000 today.

Longevity: (2002) Heart disease remains the nation's number-one
killer,
claiming the lives of 725,000 Americans in 1999. The figure is down
slightly
from 20 years ago. Meanwhile, deaths from cancer increased by 32%
between
1980 and 1999, reaching nearly 550,000 in that year.

Infant mortality rates remained at 7.2 infant deaths per 1,000 live
births
in 1998, the last year for which data were available. The figure was
unchanged
from the previous year but is the lowest of the 20th century. The US
ranks
28th in the world in infant mortality, down from 12th in 1960. Hong
Kong
was ranked first, with an overall infant mortality rate of 3.2 deaths
per
1,000 live births.

Officials said that they were encouraged by continued improvements in
life
expectancy, a crude measure of Americans' overall health. But along
with
the improvements come challenges. The number of Americans over 65 has
nearly
tripled since 1950, now comprising 13% of the US population. In 1950,
seniors
accounted for just 8% of the population. "The aging of the population
is
one of the great challenges the country will face

spent $1.3 trillion on healthcare in 1999, a figure that is expected to
rise
as the population ages and requires more care. The US already spends
13.1%
of its gross domestic product on healthcare, far more than any other
nation,
according to the report. More than 40 million Americans were without
any
form of health insurance in 2000.

Officials also remain concerned about exploding rates of obesity among
Americans.
As many as 61% of Americans are now considered overweight or obese,
including
13% to 14% of children. The percentage of overweight children and
adolescents
has nearly tripled since the 1960s. Experts are beginning to see the
effects
of obesity on the nation's health. Deaths from diabetes, a leading
consequence
of obesity, doubled between 1980 and 1999

Dying- (USA Today 2002) With better medical care and a drop in
smoking
rates, death rates for heart disease have been cut in more than half,
and
they have declined even more dramatically for stroke and other
cerebrovascular
disease.

Death rates from injuries, particularly motor vehicle crashes, have
also
fallen since about 1970, with safer cars on the road and more people
wearing
seat belts.

It's not all good news. Death rates for diabetes, along with the number
of
cases, are climbing, largely the result of a sharp increase in obesity.

The average baby born in 1900 could expect to live 47.3 years and that
gauge
has been climbing ever since. By 1950, life expectancy had risen to
68.2,
and it reached 76.9 in 2000.

Throughout the century, women and whites have lived longer, but those
gaps
are closing, the report shows.

In 1950, whites lived 8.3 years longer than blacks. By 2000, that gap
was
5.6 years.

For gender, the gap was at its peak in 1970, when women lived 7.6 years
longer
than men. By 2000, the gap was 5.4 years.

The report, produced by the National Center for Health Statistics,
found
drops in death at every stage of life and for many diseases.
Specifically:

Infant mortality: The portion of babies dying before their first
birthday
was at a record low in 2000, 6.9 per 1,000 live births. That rate has
fallen
75% since 1950.

Young deaths: Mortality among children and young adults, between 12
months
and 24 years, declined by more than half since 1950. Researchers
credited
drops in death rates in accidents, cancer, heart disease and infectious
diseases.
Homicide and suicide rates generally increased over the half century,
though
they have been falling since the mid-1990s.

Adults: Death among adults age 25 to 44 declined by more than 40%
between
1950 and 1999. During the mid-1990s, HIV was the leading cause of death
for
this age group, but these rates have fallen significantly.

Older adults: Mortality among adults age 45 to 64 fell by nearly 50%,
including
drops in heart disease, stroke and injury. Cancer is the leading cause
of
death in this group, and those death rates rose slowly through the
1980s
and then began to decline.

Heart disease: Much of the improvement in life expectancy is traced to
falling
heart disease rates. In 1950, just over 585 people in the United States
developed
heart disease for every 100,000. By 1999, that had been more than cut
in
half, falling to just under 268 people per 100,000.

Stroke: In 1950, nearly 181 of every 100,000 people died of stroke and
other
cerebrovascular disease. By 1999, it was just 62 per 100,000.

The report, which also examines trends in the use of hospitals, found
fewer
people being admitted and shorter stays for those who do go in. It
found
a sharp drop in use of home health care, a reaction to new Medicare
payment
restrictions.

Long time: (2003) approximately 40% of individuals currently age
65
will live to be age 90. The results also point out that of married
couples
currently age 65, there is a 63% chance that at least one spouse will
live
to age 90.

Life expectancy for the fatties.
People who were overweight at age 40 really shorten their
lifetimes
by about 3 years on average. For those who were obese, the losses were
7.1
years for women and 5.4 years for men. It's about the same as seen for
smokers.
Also, they will die badly.

More and more (2003) The Census Bureau notes that there are
284.8
million Americans. There re about 34.8 million over age 65. Older women
outnumber
men 20.7 to 14.6 million.

Japan and old: (WSJ 2003) Japan is wrestling with an
unprecedented
demographic time bomb. With the average woman bearing 1.33 children,
the
government projects Japan's population will start declining in three
years.
By around 2007, the proportion of the population over 65 will have
jumped
to 20% from 10% in just 21 years, a rate of graying that's nearly twice
as
fast as any other major nation.

Population pressures will continue to sap the country even if it shakes
off
its deep banking crisis and a crippling bout of price deflation.

With the world's longest life expectancy -- 85 for women, 78 for men --
Japan's
society is aging faster than any other now. But by midcentury, the
populations
of Italy and Russia are expected to have declined even more
drastically.
Even China, the world's emerging economic powerhouse and most populous
nation,
will age rapidly starting in 2010, with the elderly making up 22.7% of
the
population by 2050, up from 6.9% now, according to the United Nations
Population
Division.

Such jumps in age, coupled with declines in fertility in virtually
every
country, have led at least one expert to predict that, after zooming
ahead
in the next 50 years, the world's population could begin to decline.
That
marks a reversal of long-held predictions of unsustainable population
explosions.

In 2002 there were 3.6 Japanese between 20 and 64 to support each
person
over age 65. By 2025, when he turns 48, the ratio will fall to just
1.9,
and it will still be declining. Among self-employed Japanese, who must
make
their own pension payments, 29% didn't pay their pension premiums in
2001,
compared with just 17% in 1996. Among those aged 20 to 24, 46% didn't
pay
up. Some economists fear that any further rise in pension-dodging might
trigger
a collapse in the system unless the government gets more aggressive
about
collection.

Some economists suggest raising the bar on the definition of "old." If
companies
extend the mandatory retirement age from the current norm of 60 to 70
later
this decade and 75 around 2020, the ratio of pensioners to working-age
Japanese
would remain below a manageable 20%

Longevity: (2003) Children born in 1902 could expect to live to
only
47.3 years. Fifty years later, that number had expanded to 68.2 years.
The
U.S. Census Bureau estimate for those born in 2050 is 83.9 years. As an
indication of how much further we could go, the 2050 estimate for Japan
is
90.9 years.

In the U.S., there are currently 35 million people over 65 years old,
and
as the Baby Boomers, the largest segment of the population, reach that
age,
by 2030 it is expected that 70 million Americans will be 65 or older.

there are currently some 76,000 Americans over the age of 100. The
Census
Bureau estimates that the number of centenarians will increase to
324,000
by the year 2030, and swell to the astounding figure of 834,000 by the
year
2050

Life and Death. (2003) Life expectancy went up for men from
73.4 years
to 74.4 and for women from 79.7 to 79.8. The national death rate
dropped
to 855 deaths per 100,000 in 2001.

Deaths from HIV and AIDS dropped about 4%. Death from heart disease and
cancer
dropped 4% and 2% respectively. Strokes dropped 5%. The biggest
drop
was 7% for flue and pneumonia

The mortality for the general population has been improving about 1%
per
year for a long time. U.S residents that own life insurance have longer
life
expectancies than those that do not have life insurance.

The mortality rate for annuity holders age 65 to 75 is about half that
of
the general population.

The rate of mortality improvement for those over age 70 is slowing
whole
the rate is improving for those under age 40.

Mortality rates for women under age 40 is improving about 2% per year
though
deteriorating for those over age 70.

In the Journal of Insurance Medicine, obesity was the leading effect on
mortality
for middle age non smoking males.

Longevity
and Quality of Life: Opportunities and Challenges (2003)The outcome
of
an international conference held in Paris in 1999, Longevity and
Quality
of Life encompasses a rich diversity of disciplines and addresses a
number
of important questions: Will longer lives be productive or will they be
lives
of extended suffering? Will the cost of caring for the old take away
resources
from the young? How will the poorest countries cope?

Lifetime: According to the Centers for Disease Control, average
life
expectancy for men in 2000 was 74 years, versus 70 years in 1980. The
average
life expectancy for women in 2000 was 79 years, versus 77 years in
1980.

Dying The risk of dying is one in 106.

Most homeowners have a 1 in 88 chance of having property damage to
their
home.

Most automobile owners have a one in 47 chance of being in an accident.

About one in five has a disability and one in 10 have a serious
disability.

Lifetime: New Predictions

Current Age Male Female

0 76 80

30 77 81

50 78 82

60 80 83

65 81 85

1980 Predictions

Current Age Male Female

0 70 75

30 72 77

50 74 79

60 77 80

65 78 81

Life expectancy: (2003) According to the U.S. Centers for
Disease
Control, in 2000, the average life expectancy for American males was
74,
up four years from 1980 (when the previous tables were written). For
American
females, the average life expectancy in 2000 was 79 years, up two years
from
the 1980 tables. In addition, the annual improvement in male mortality
of
the general U.S. population has improved by 2 percent in the age group
55-59,
and has improved by 1.2 percent for females of the same age group.

Knowledge?: A 2003 GE study noted Only 11% knew the average
life
expectancy for someone 65 years old today is over age 85; 57% of survey
respondents over the age of 55 say they have no idea how they're going
to
fund their retirement; 31% save 5% or less from each paycheck; 19% know
someone
who has outlived their retirement or pension; 20% of all Americans have
used
their savings to get by this year; and only 31% think they will have
enough
money for retirement.

Living longer: “An individual who reaches age 65 has a
life
expectancy of age 85. What are the chances he or she will live beyond
that
age?”

50%.

Longevity: (2003) life expectancy at birth continues to rise,
reaching
a new record high of 77.2 years in 2001, up nearly 2 years since 1990.
Girls
born in the United States in 2001 can expect to live 79.8 years, an
increase
of one year from 1990. The life expectancy for boys born in 2001 was
74.4
years, up two years since 1990.

Longevity: based on actuarial tables, a woman who makes it to
age
60 has an average life expectancy of 23 years. But that doesn't mean
this
woman is sure to die at 83.

What it means is that the woman has a 50-50 chance of living beyond 83,
as
well as a 50 percent chance of dying before that age.

Live long and Prosper: A 65-year-old man, for example, has
about a
30 percent chance of living to 90 and a 4 percent or so chance of
cracking
the century mark.

Live long and prosper: For those individuals who live to age
65, more
than half, 53%, of single females and 41% of single males will still be
alive
at age 85. For married couples, 72% will have at least one spouse alive
at
age 85.

Living and dying: (2004) It is estimated that in 2001, 72
million
of the 6.1 billion inhabitants of the world are 80 years or older
(United
Nations, 2001). The population of the oldest-old (e.g. those 80 years
and
older) constitutes therefore 1.2 per cent of the world’s
population
but, although it is a small fraction of the whole, it is the fastest
growing
segment of the population. Thus, whereas the world population is
expected
to increase by about 50 per cent and to reach 9.3 billion by 2050, the
number
of people aged 80 years or older is expected to increase more than
five-fold,
to reach 379 million in 2050 (Figure 1). Most of the growth of the
oldest-old
population will occur in the developing world where their numbers are
expected
to increase almost eight-fold, from 34 million in 2001 to 266 million
in
2050. In the more developed countries, the number of oldest-old will
likely
triple, passing from 38 million to 113 million. By 2050, therefore, the
majority
of the oldest-old will be living in the less developed regions of the
world.
Furthermore, because life expectancy continues to increase, not only
are
an increasing number of people surviving to very old ages but also
deaths
to the oldest-old are accounting for an increasing proportion of all
deaths.
Thus, at the global level, 18 out of every 100 deaths expected in
2000-2005
will be to persons aged 80 years or older (i.e., 10 million out of the
expected
55 million deaths). In the more developed regions, the proportion of
deaths
to persons aged 80 or over is expected to be much higher¾ 42 per
cent¾and those proportions are expected to keep on rising.

Life
expectancy:
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC 2004) National
Center
for Health Statistics (NCHS), "Deaths: Preliminary Data for 2002) Life
expectancy
in the United States was the highest ever in 2002, but infant mortality
increased
from a rate of 6.8 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2001 to a
rate
of 7.0 per 1,000 births in 2002, the first year since 1958 that the
rate
has not declined or remained unchanged.

life expectancy in the United States reached a new high of 77.4 years,
up
from 77.2 in 2001. Life expectancy increased for both men and women,
and
for African Americans and whites.

Overall, death rates for the total U.S. population dropped in 2002. The
national
age-adjusted death rate decreased slightly from 855 deaths per 100,000
population
in 2001 to 847 deaths per 100,000 in 2002. There were declines in
mortality
among most racial, ethnic, and gender groups except for American
Indians
(both males and females) and non-Hispanic white females, whose death
rates
remained unchanged from 2001.

Among the Nation’s leading causes of death, there were declines
in mortality
from heart disease (3 percent), stroke (nearly 3 percent),
accidents/unintentional injuries (nearly 2 percent), and cancer (1
percent).
The biggest decline in mortality among the leading cause of deaths was
for
homicides – down 17 percent. That number had increased sharply in
2001
due to the September 11th terrorist attacks. Excluding the September
11th
deaths, the decrease from 2001 to 2002 would have been 3 percent, which
still
reflects a continuing downward trend in homicides that began in 1991.

Aging: (2004) The average Ancient Greek lived until age 18. The
median
life span of a Puritan was 33. In 1991, the average American life
expectancy
was about 72 years for men, 79 for women.

In 1994, about one in eight Americans was age 65 or older. By 2030, one
in
five Americans will be a senior citizen.

Immigrants who come to the United States live an average of three
years
longer than people born here. (NIH)

A growing body of evidence indicates the life span difference reflects
both
immigrants' innate vitality and their reluctance to embrace Americans'
drive-thru, drive-everywhere mentality. They also smoke less.

The life expectancy deficit is true for all races but is most dramatic
among
blacks. Immigrant black men live nine years longer than black men born
in
the United States.

The records showed the average American-born black man could expect to
reach
64, while a black man born overseas would likely live beyond 73 if he
immigrated.
In the case of an African-born man remaining in his homeland, he might
well
have died before his 50th birthday.

Obesity, too, is far more prevalent among American-born residents. Data
from
the mid-1990s showed that 22 percent of adult immigrants were obese,
compared
to 28 percent of U.S.-born adults. (Recent numbers suggest about 30
percent
of all U.S. residents are obese.)

The smoking numbers were even more dramatic: 18 percent of immigrants
smoked,
compared to 26 percent of U.S.-born adults.

As they assimilate, however, many immigrants adopt bad health habits.
Research
suggest that, over time, immigrants behave like the American-born
population
— more smoke, drink and gain weight.

Census Bureau:
(1995) The Census Bureau released a report “Global Population
Profile:
2002,” which analyzes global population trends. The report
highlights
that the growth of the elderly population is projected to be faster
than
any other segment of the population in every region of the world. In
2002,
the globe held 440 million people age 65 or over, approximately 7
percent
of the total population. In the future, the size of the elderly
population
is projected to increase rapidly, almost doubling by 2020 and more than
tripling
by 2050. Similarly, the relative size of the elderly population is
expected
to grow to over 9 percent in 2020 and to almost 17 percent by 2050.
This
growth is due primarily to historical declines in fertility and the
general
aging of the population. The report also indicates that a number of
African
countries will experience levels of mortality during this decade that
will
lower the average life expectancy at birth to around 30 years by 2010,
a
level not seen since the beginning of the 20th century. Much of this
decline
in life expectancy is likely to result from AIDS mortality.

Ratio of Population Ages 20 to 64 to Population Ages 65 and
Over

Life Expectancy of 65-Year-Olds

Longevity: (2004) A study the
Proceedings
of the National Academy of Sciences indicates that human lifespan took
a
dramatic leap about 32,000 years ago. The study believes that this
increase
contributed greatly to population expansion and advancements that
enabled
humans to thrive, as more information was able to be transmitted from
one
generation to another and social relationships were strengthened.

Aging workers: (NY Times 2004) As workers age, fewer new bodies
are
coming up the pipeline to replace them. According to projections from
the
Bureau of Labor Statistics, the working-age population - adults 16 to
54
who are neither in the military nor in jail - will have grown by six
million
people from 2002 to 2012. By contrast, the 55-and-over age bracket will
have
expanded by 18 million.

The shift will only intensify in the years that follow. By 2030, people
55
and older will make up 37 percent of the adult population, up from 15
percent
today.

Like it or not, to deal with the aging of America's labor force,
workers
will probably be made to work longer.

"Many businesses feel they have found solutions by sending jobs
offshore
or bringing immigrants to fill positions here,. "But the problem is
much
larger. Business is going to have to tap the older work force."

a 65-year-old is expected to live to 83. That is almost three years
longer
than the life expectancy of a 65-year-old in 1970. But the aging of the
work
force is not just about longer life spans. It has more to do with a
steep
decline in the nation's production of young people - a birth dearth.

The labor force started to swell in the second half of the 1960's, when
the
baby-boom generation began to come of age. But the boom was followed by
a
baby bust. The fertility rate dropped from 3.5 children per woman in
the
mid-1950's to about 2 in the 1970's. As a result, when the boomers
start
exiting the work force - as they will in droves starting around 2008 -
they
will leave a big demographic hole behind them.

Aging is not just an American issue. According to projections from the
United
Nations, the median age in Switzerland is 40, five years older than
that
of the United States. And by the time America's median age reaches 40,
around
midcentury, half of all Italians will be over 52.

The United States has staved off the national aging process mostly by
drawing
immigrants

A study by the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern
University
in Boston found that new immigrants accounted for 47 percent of the
increase
in the labor force from 1990 to 2000.

Aging, meanwhile, will steadily worsen America's labor outlook. The
participation
rate of the general population in the work force climbed to 67.2
percent
in 2000 from 59.2 percent in 1950. But projections from the Labor
Department
call for it to fall back to 62.3 percent by 2030.

As a result, the expansion of the labor force will slow, to just 0.6
percent
a year over the first half of the 21st century, from 1.6 percent in the
second
half of the 20th. And the economy's dependency ratio, which measures
the
burden of retirees on workers, will narrow. In 2000, there were five
people
aged 20 to 64 for each person 65 or older. By 2030, the ratio will be
less
than 3 to 1.

In 1950, some 87 percent of men aged 55 to 64 and 46 percent of those
over
65 were working. By 2000, the shares had dropped, to 67 percent for the
younger
group and 17 percent for the older one.

According to the 2004 Retirement Confidence Survey, barely 36 percent
of
workers are confident that they will have enough money to take care of
basic
expenses during retirement. And the share of workers who expect to
retire
before 65 has dropped to 37 percent from 49 percent a decade ago.

British health: Office for National Statistics. Probably very
similar
to the U.S. but I have not seen this study here.

Life expectancy in Great Britain increased between 1981 and 2001.
Females
born in 2001 can now expect to live an average of 80.4 years (versus
76.8
years in 1981) and males an average of 75.7 years (versus 70.9 years).
Although
women have also in the past had a longer life expectancy than men, the
new
data show that life expectancy is increasing at a faster rate for males
than
for females.

The researchers also looked at the quality of health in the extra
years.
Healthy life expectancy was quantified and defined as the expected
years
of life in good or fairly good health. In 2001 healthy life expectancy
at
birth was 67.0 years for males and 68.8 years for females. Although
these
values are slightly higher than for people born in 1981, healthy life
expectancy
has not been rising as fast as life expectancy.

People may be living longer, but the extra years are largely lived in
poor
health (defined as the difference between life expectancy and healthy
life
expectancy). In 1981, the expected time lived in poor health for males
was
6.5 years; by 2001 this had risen to 8.7 years.

Women are even worse off, according to the data. Those born in 1981
could
have expected to live in poor health for 10.1 years in 1981, but this
rose
to 11.6 years by 2001.

Life expectancy increase: Tables published by the government's
National
Center for Health Statistics show that life expectancy at birth was
47.3
years in 1900, rose to 68.2 by 1950 and reached 77.3 in 2002. The
latest
annual report of the Social Security trustees projects that life
expectancy
will increase just six years in the next seven decades, to 83 in 2075.
A
separate set of projections, by the Census Bureau, shows more rapid
growth.

Social Security says male life expectancy at birth will be 81.2 years
in
2075. The Census Bureau, using different methods and assumptions, says
that
level will be reached much earlier, in 2050.

Likewise, Social Security says female life expectancy will reach 85
years
by 2075, while the Census Bureau says it will exceed 86 in 2050.

For the American population as a whole in the last century, most of the
gains
in life expectancy at birth occurred from 1900 to 1950. But most of the
gains
in life expectancy among people who had already reached age 65 were
seen
after 1950.

Lifetime: (2005) Sixty percent of women who reach 65 survive to
85,
according to the actuarial academy, while only 47 percent of
65-year-old
men reach that milestone.

Life Expectancy: (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
2005)
average life expectancy rose to 77.6 years in 2003 from 77.3 years in
2002.

Women still live longer on average than men. But the gender gap
continued
to narrow, to 5.3 years from the peak gap of 7.8 years in 1979.

In 2003, white women lived an average of 80.5 years, while black women
lived
an average of 76.1 years. White men lived an average of 75.4 years and
black
men lived an average of 69.2 years.

The death rate -- which has mostly been trending down since 1900 --
declined
to a record low of 831.2 deaths per 100,000 people, 1.7% lower than
2002.

Death rates fell for eight of the 15 leading causes of death, with
rates
for the top two causes -- heart disease and cancer -- falling 3.6% and
2.2%,
respectively. Deaths from heart disease and cancer account for more
than
half of U.S. deaths annually.

Death rates from stroke declined 4.6%, while deaths from flu and
pneumonia
fell a combined 3.1%. The CDC said a large decline in pneumonia deaths
offset
a 150% increase in influenza deaths in 2003. Alcohol-related deaths
declined
4.3% and deaths by suicide fell 3.7%.

The death rate from HIV continued an eight-year decline, falling 4.1%
in
2003. Deaths from homicide fell out of the top 15 causes of death in
2003
compared with 2002.

Deaths from Parkinson's disease continued a two-decade increase, rising
by
3.4% in 2003 and ranking as the 14th-leading cause of deaths that year.
Deaths
from Alzheimer's disease increased 5.9% and were the eighth-leading
cause
of deaths, while kidney disease and hypertension deaths rose 5.7%.

The overall death rate from accidents, which ranked as the
fifth-leading
cause of death, fell 2.2%. Deaths from accidents in the workplace
declined
13% in 2003 compared with 2002.

The infant-mortality rate stayed roughly the same at 6.9 deaths for
every
1,000 live births in 2003 from 2002, the year which represented the
first
increase in the infant mortality rate in 44 years.

Living: Of men who are now 65,

28% will live to 90,

11% will live to 95;

2% to 100.

Of women who are now 65,

40% will live to 90;

19% to 95;

5% to 100.

Getting old: (2005) The United
States
is on the brink of a longevity revolution. By 2030, the number of older
Americans
will have more than doubled to 70 million, or one in every five
Americans.
The growing number and proportion of older adults places increasing
demands
on the public health system and on medical and social services.

Chronic diseases exact a particularly heavy health and economic burden
on
older adults due to associated long-term illness, diminished quality of
life,
and greatly increased health care costs. Although the risk of disease
and
disability clearly increases with advancing age, poor health is not an
inevitable
consequence of aging.

Much of the illness, disability, and death associated with chronic
disease
is avoidable through known prevention measures. Key measures include
practicing
a healthy lifestyle (e.g., regular physical activity, healthy eating,
and
avoiding tobacco use) and the use of early detection practices (e.g.,
screening
for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers, diabetes and its
complications,
and depression).

Critical knowledge gaps exist for responding to the health needs of
older
adults. For chronic diseases and conditions such as Alzheimer's
disease,
arthritis, depression, psychiatric disorders, osteoporosis, Parkinson's
disease,
and urinary incontinence, much remains to be learned about their
distribution
in the population, associated risk factors, and effective measures to
prevent
or delay their onset.

How long will you live: (Michael D. Hurd 2005)Women between the
ages
of 70 and 74 said they believed they had a roughly even chance of
living
to 85. In fact, their odds were about 58 percent. By contrast,
85-year-old
women said they had a 30 percent chance of reaching 100. Only about 7
percent
of them would actually do so.

From the early 1960s to 2002, the mean weight for men and women aged
20--74
years increased 24 pounds, and the mean height increased approximately
1
inch. During 1999--2002, the mean weight of men aged >20 years was
approximately 190 lbs. and the mean height was approximately 5 ft., 9
in.;
among women, the mean weight was approximately 163 lbs. and the mean
height
was approximately 5 ft., 4 in.

HOW LONG WILL YOU LIVE? (2006)

Many people will exceed the average life expectancy for their age
group.
Here are your odds:

Male, 65 Living to 85
Living
to 92

50%
25%

Female, 65 Living to 88 Living to 94

50%
25%

Couple, both 65 One will live to 92
One
will live to 97

50%
25%

Source: American Society of Actuaries

a 65-year-old woman has a 31% chance of living to age 90—for a
man,
it’s 17% (2006)

Life expectancy (2006)

Death expectancy

LONGEVITY CONTINUES TO RISE (2006) - The Centers for Disease
Control
and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics reports that the
life
expectancy of Americans born in 2004 rose to 77.9 years from 77.5 years
in
2003. The total number of deaths declined by almost 50,000, or 2.4%,
from
2003 to 2004, the largest one-year drop in several decades. The last
time
the number of deaths fell instead of rose was in 1997, when there were
445
fewer deaths than in 1996. The gender gap is narrowing as well. Life
expectancy
for women is 80.4 years on average, up from 80.1 years in 2003. Men
born
in 2004 can expect to live 75.2 years, up from 74.8 years. The 5.2-year
difference between the sexes was the smallest since 1946.

Too
Big To Ignore: The Impact Of Obesity On Mortality Trends (2006)
The rising prevalence of obesity runs counter to the overall decline in
mortality
rates seen in most developed nations over the past few decades. The
possibility
that the rate of mortality improvement could have been higher without
the
increase in obesity is too significant to ignore. The question is, can
we
gain back this lost mortality improvement?

Like the health effects on smoking, obesity usually stems from a choice
about
lifestyle. The fact that so many public spaces are now 'tobacco-free'
zones
is the result of education, persuasion and - in many cases - tough
action.
Tackling obesity likewise calls for a combined and determined effort
from
all parties: governments, the medical profession, food manufacturers
and
consumers need to be alert to this emerging risk and to play a role in
confronting it. For life insurers - who are not immune to the effects
of
obesity - addressing the problem means keeping ratings and pricing up
to
date and in line with emerging experience.

Over the last 30 years or so, the prevalence of obesity has increased
two
to threefold in most developed countries. It affects nearly one in
every
three people in the United States, where it is expected to overtake
smoking
as the leading cause of preventable death. The epidemic is no longer
confined
to developed countries: in the developing world the prevalence is
around
5%, and this is expected to increase in the future.

In adults, the prevalence of obesity is more acute in women than in
men,
and it is becoming more common in children and adolescents. If this
trend
is left unchecked, it will have negative consequences for adult health
and
mortality in the future. The problem is also more widespread amongst
the
lower socio-economic groups in the developed world.

Living Longer (USA 2007) Average premiums for individual life
insurance
have been falling about 5% a year since 2000, and they're expected to
drop
an additional 4% in 2007, according to the Insurance Information
Institute.
In 2007, a 40-year-old male non-smoker who buys a $500,000, 20-year
term
insurance policy will pay an annual premium of $615 if he qualifies for
the
"standard" rate, the institute estimates. If he qualifies for the
"preferred"
rate, which has more stringent health requirements, he'll pay $340

In the first half of the 20th century, to value pension liabilities and
costs,
actuaries used mortality tables that simply showed the probability of a
person
aged x dying before reaching age x+1. These calculations were based on
the
experience of a particular group of lives (for example, the general
population,
life office annuitants or pension fund members) at a specific point in
time.
As it became increasingly clear that this approach did not allow for
improvements
in mortality over time, actuaries began using projected mortality
tables.
These tables still show the probability that a person aged x will die
before
reaching age x+1, but they might be set at 80 percent of the
corresponding
probability in the base (unprojected) table to allow for future
improvements.
However, in recent years, actuaries have realized that despite their
best
efforts to accurately model future mortality, they have often
understated
mortality improvements, as experience has consistently turned out to be
better
than even the most optimistic projections.

The rates of mortality table (shown below) illustrates different ways
in
which actuaries construct sets of mortality rates. The rates of
mortality
circled in red are taken from a static or base table. The probability
that
a 55-year-old will die in the next year is 36 in 10,000, regardless of
when
he turns 55. The rates circled in green show the same base rates
projected
forwards five years, allowing for a small improvement each year. The
probability,
though now reduced to 28 in 10,000, is still assumed to apply
regardless
of when the person reaches age 55. The blue arrow shows a possible
progression
of generational rates. The probability is 36 in 10,000 for someone
turning
55 in 2006, but only 30 in 10,000 for someone turning 55 in 2007, 26 in
10,000
for someone turning 55 in 2008.

Live and Die: (USA Today 2007) The following is a snapshot of
the
"eight Americas" and how life expectancy divides us:

• 1. 10.4 million Asians with a per capita income of $21,566 and
an
average life expectancy of 85.

• 2. 3.6 million whites in Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa, Montana
and
Nebraska, with a income of $17,758 and an average life expectancy of 79
.

• 3. 214 million middle Americans, with a per capita income of
$24,640
and an average life expectancy of 78.

• 4. 16.6 million whites in Appalachia and the Mississippi Valley
with
an income of $16,390 and a life expectancy of 75.

• 5. 1 million Western Native Americans with a per capita income
of
$10,029 and life expectancy of 73.

• 6. 23.4 million black middle Americans with a per capita income
of
$15,412 and a life expectancy of 73.

• 7. 5.8 million southern low-income blacks with a per capita
income
of $10,463 and a life expectancy of 71.

• 8. 7.5 million high-risk urban blacks, living in counties with a
homicide
risk that tops the 95th percentile of U.S. counties, with a per capita
income
of $14,800 and a life expectancy of 71.

AVERAGE LIFE EXPECTANCY, STATE BY STATE

Rank States Life expectancy(years)

1 Hawaii 80.0

2 Minnesota 78.8

3 Utah 78.7

4 Connecticut 78.7

5 Massachusetts 78.4

6 New Hampshire 78.3

7 Iowa 78.3

8 North Dakota 78.3

9 Rhode Island 78.3

10 California 78.2

11 Vermont 78.2

12 Colorado 78.2

13 Washington 78.2

14 Wisconsin 77.9

15 Idaho 77.9

16 Nebraska 77.8

17 Oregon 77.8

18 South Dakota 77.7

19 New York 77.7

20 Maine 77.6

21 Florida 77.5

22 Arizona 77.5

23 New Jersey 77.5

24 Kansas 77.3

25 Montana 77.2

26 Alaska 77.1

27 New Mexico 77.0

28 Virginia 76.8

29 Delaware 76.8

30 Texas 76.7

31 Pennsylvania 76.7

32 Wyoming 76.7

33 Illinois 76.4

34 Michigan 76.3

35 Maryland 76.3

36 Ohio 76.2

37 Indiana 76.1

38 Missouri 75.9

39 Nevada 75.8

40 North Carolina 75.8

41 Georgia 75.3

42 Kentucky 75.2

43 Arkansas 75.2

44 Oklahoma 75.2

45 Tennessee 75.1

46 West Virginia 75.1

47 South Carolina 74.8

48 Alabama 74.4

49 Louisiana 74.2

50 Mississippi 73.6

51 District of Columbia 72.0

Among long-lived people 15 to 44, the death toll from chronic disease
was
as low as among the Japanese. The profile for the group with the
shortest
life span resembles Russia.

Income isn't the key to a longer life span. This group is made up of
3.6
million low-income whites living in Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa,
Montana
and Nebraska, with an average life expectancy of 79. "White populations
living
below the median incomes in northern states have the best level of
health
among whites.

much of the variation depends on such individual factors as diet,
exercise
and smoking, not health care. "Yet we spend much of our attention and
16%
of our national income on health care,". "There's no way that
differences
in the quality of health care can explain 20-year gaps in life
expectancy."

Old- (2007) At present 12% of the population is over 65. There
are
5 people between 20 & 64 for each person 65 or older. According to
the
Trustees of Social Security in 2030 folks over 65 will make up 19% of
the
population and the ratio of those 20-64 to those 65 and over will fall
to
3:1.

Reduced longevity? (Washington Post 2007) Boomers much less
likely
to smoke- but large surveys are consistently finding that they tend to
describe
themselves as less hale and hearty than their forebears did at the same
age.
They are more likely to report difficulty climbing stairs, getting up
from
a chair and doing other routine activities, as well as more chronic
problems
such as high cholesterol, blood pressure and diabetes.

Two-thirds of Americans are overweight, and those extra pounds make
joints
wear out more quickly, boost cholesterol and blood pressure, and raise
the
risk of a host of debilitating health problems.

boomers tend to report more stress than earlier generations -- from
their
jobs, their commutes, taking care of their parents and their kids --
all
of which can take a physical toll, which is compounded by having less
support
from extended families and communities

It is unclear whether boomers are really sicker or are simply more
health-conscious by dint of being better educated and having better
access
to information. They may also have higher expectations, making them
more
likely to notice and complain about aches and pains that earlier
generations
would have accepted as just part of getting older.

"Until now people have been living longer and living longer without the
need
for assistance -- they can dress themselves and take care of
themselves.
But it looks like we may be on the verge of a change where we'll have
an
increasing proportion of the elderly needing assistance, and possibly a
decline
in life expectancy."

From personal experience as a runner for over 42 years, any extra
pounds
is simply asking for problems. 10 extra pounds makes a material
difference
on your joints- even if you are not running. You really slow down in
all
aspects of life. But I tend to see more and more people that are
significantly
overweight. I suppose one can stay alive longer through drugs-
therefore
keeping the life expectancy high- but the debilitating effects overall
makes
one wonder if it is worth it. I know that exercising is not easy- but I
haven't
found much in life that is. Some things are simply hard.

LIVING: (2007)A male reaching age 65 has a 50% of making age 85
and
a 25% chance in living beyond 92. Women live two to three years
longer
than males .. For a couple reaching age 65, either the husband or wife
has
a 50% chance of living beyond 92 and a 25% of living beyond 97.

Longevity- (2007) U.S. is only 42nd in Life Expectancy
Americans are
living longer than ever, but not as long as people in 41 other
countries.
For decades, the United States has been slipping in international
rankings
of life expectancy, as other countries improve health care, nutrition
and
lifestyles. A baby born in the United States in 2004 will live an
average
of 77.9 years, giving America a rank of 42nd worldwide. That is down
from
11th two decades earlier, according to international numbers provided
by
the Census Bureau and domestic numbers from the National Center for
Health
Statistics. Countries that surpass the U.S. include Japan and most of
Europe,
as well as Jordan and the Cayman Islands. Andorra, a tiny country in
the
Pyrenees Mountains between France and Spain, had the longest life
expectancy,
at 83.5 years. It was followed by Japan, Macau, San Marino and
Singapore.
Swaziland, in sub-Saharan Africa - part of a region that has been hit
hard
by an epidemic of HIV and AIDS, as well as famine and civil strife -
has
the shortest lifespan, at 34.1 years. Researchers said several factors
have
contributed to the United States' falling behind other industrialized
nations.
A major one is that 45 million Americans lack health insurance. Among
the
other factors: Adults in the United States have one of the highest
obesity
rates in the world. Racial disparities are also a factor: black
Americans
have an average life expectancy of 73.3 years, five years shorter than
white
Americans. Another reason for the U.S. drop in the ranking is that the
Census
Bureau now tracks life expectancy for a lot more countries - 222 in
2004
- than it did in the 1980s. "Many Americans would definitely be living
longer
if everyone had health insurance,"

DEATHS: FINAL DATA FOR 2005,: (2008) The CDC presents a wide
range of data about dying in2005. Overall, in 2005, a total of
2,448,017 resident deaths were registered in the United States. The
report also finds that life expectancy at birth was 77.8 years, the
same as in 2004. More specifically, life expectancy was 80.4 years for
females and 75.2 years for males. In addition, life expectancy
increased 0.1 year for the black population to a record high of 73.2
years, and for the white population remained the same as that in 2004
at 78.3 years. The difference in life expectancy between the white and
black populations in 2005 was 5.1 years, which was a 0.1-year decrease
from the 2004 gap between the two races and was the smallest gap ever
recorded.

Aging Percentage of population over age 60
Year 2000
2020

India 7.6%

11

China 10.3

16.7

USA 16

22.8

France 20.5

26.8

UK 20.6

26.7

Italy 22.3

33

Japan 23.2

33.7

Life
expectancy:(2008) Overall U.S. life expectancy at
birth rose to 78.1 years in 2006, up 0.3 years from the 2005 average,

Age-adjusted death rates associated with 11 of the
15 leading causes of death dropped significantly between 2005 and
20006, researchers say.

CDC researchers say life expectancy for men ages 60
to 70 increased by about 0.23 years, and that life expectancy increased
0.1 years for men ages 70 to 100.

Life expectancy increased 0.27 years for women ages
60 to 70, and 0.18 years for women in the 70-100 age group.

Traditionally, women older than 65 have been twice
as likely as older men to need nursing home care.

Life expectancy at birth hit
a new record high in 2006 of 78.1 years, a 0.3 increase from 2005.
Record high life expectancy was recorded for both white males and black
males (76 years and 70 years, respectively) as well as for white
females and black females (81 years and 76.9 years).

The
preliminary number of deaths in the United States in 2006 was
2,425,900, a 22,117 decrease from the 2005 total. With a rapidly
growing older population, declines in the number of deaths (as opposed
to death rates) are unusual, and the 2006 decline is likely the result
of more mild influenza mortality in 2006 compared with 2005.

There
were an estimated 12,045 deaths from HIV/AIDS in 2006, and age-adjusted
death rates from the disease declined 4.8% from 2005.

The
preliminary infant mortality rate for 2006 was 6.7 infant deaths per
1,000 live births, a 2.3 percent decline from the 2005 rate of 6.9.

Alzheimer’s
disease passed diabetes to become the sixth leading cause of death in
the United States in 2006. An estimated 72,914 Americans died of
Alzheimer’s disease in 2006. However, the preliminary
age-adjusted death rate from Alzheimer’s did not change
significantly between 2005 and 2006.

Really old: Among
today's 65-and-older population, average life expectancy for American
men and women is 17 and 20 years, respectively. Nearly one-third (30
percent) of all women and almost 20 percent of men age 65 can expect to
reach 90 years old

Old is getting older:
(2008)

Life underwriters may be starting to think of age
70 as the new age 65.

Back in 2000, the majority of underwriters who
participated in a Society of Actuaries survey on older age underwriting
said the “older age group” included individuals ages 60 to
65.

Just 6 years later, 60% of the underwriters who
participated in a follow-up survey said old age starts at ages 70 and
up. Over that same period, the
maximum issue age the underwriters said they would consider accepting
for any life coverage increased to 85, from 80,

“The top 3 indicators are current health,
cognitive function and frailty in issuing policies for those age 70+

British life expectrancy:

The average woman born in 2006 is likely to live 2.7 years longer
than one born in 1992 while men can expect to live 3.8 years longer.

The data show significant improvements in life expectancy both at
birth and for those aged 65 of both genders and in all geographical
regions of the country. But what is most striking is that life
expectancy and improvements in life expectancy are strongest in parts
of the country where incomes are highest.

Actuarial studies for years have
demonstrated the gap between the wealthiest and poorest members of
society, as well as that between men and women. Indeed, it is common
for life assurers selling annuities to charge lower prices to people
living in postal codes where median income is lower. That is because
they are not expected to live as long and the payout period is shorter.